Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-04-28
A HOME IN THE WOODS.

Ny husband was travelling man, and
by strict economy we had saved consider
able money and owned number of
houses. We had been married about
seven years, when one evening in the
spring of 1856 he said: 81 would like to
20 to Minnesota (then a territory and
start town. Are you willing to go with
mef" | said / was. It was early spring
and cold. We concluded to wait till the
weather was warm and pleasant. We be-
gan to prepare for the journey, he in
disposing of property and I in sewing
and making ready to pack. We made a
great mistake in our preparations. In
stead of taking only what was actually
necessary we packed furniture ETC.,
enough for two Or three log houses.
After talking the matter over he decided
to go out first and locate place before
taking his family. employed an expert
enced hand to pack our piano, and it was
SO well done that after being on the road
for six months land part of the way,
some twenty-five miles, it was carried
through the woods by eight men) it ar
rived in good condition and tone. I had,
with the help of others, almost everything
packed and ready when my husband re-
turned after an absence of a little over
two weeks. He had fortunately met a
man whose claim laid between two lakes
and was twenty-five miles from any town.
The man was willing to join with him in
starting town, and sold him the undivi-
cd half. It was one bright morning in
May that, our household goods having
all been safely stored ON steamboat, we
said good-by to cur friends and start
ed down the Ohio. Our journey by water
was long but pleasant. I had become
accustomed to being pointed at as the
little woman who was going to live in
the wilds of Minnesota. The boat landed
one day and man and woman came on
board. The woman had mans straw
hat on, and belted around her waist were
two revolvers and knife. I was brought
to her notice, and she advised me to turn
back. She said the woods were full of
centipedes, snakes, horrible bugs and
spiders, besides the danger from Indians.
Arriving at the end of our journey by
water, my husband, after seeing the chill
dren ard myself comfortably settled at
hotel, left in the company of two or three
others with whom he had become &C.
quainted during our journey and who had
decided to locate near his place. He left
with the intention of returning for us as
soon as he had house built, but had also
to build house for store. I heard oc
casionally from my husband. Every
thing was going on well. He had built
two log houses, and had been to Dubuque
and bought goods for the store. About
this time / was taken very sick with ty-
phoid fever. A physician was called, but
continued to grow worse. My husband
was sent for, and for few days it was a
matter of life and death, when a change
for the better took place, and in the
course of week or ten days I had be-
come 80 much better that he concluded to
take us back with him.
Our household goods had been nearly
all removed to our home. Among the
furniture remaining was large sofa. 1t
was placed in the wagon, and, with some
pillows loaned by the landlord, 1 was
made as comfortable as possible. We
then started on our weariseme journey of
twenty-five miles, the most of the way
through woods, no road, but over rough,
uneven ground, obliged occasionally to
cut down tree to make way for the
wagon. 1 was completely worn out when,
at dusk, we arrived at what was to be my
home for the next few years. Of course,
not expecting US out so soon, the house
was still un6nished-no doors, no win
dows. We had to nail up carpets and
quilts for that and many other nights.
Nc one could be an invalid long in that
delightful country. I gained strength
each day, our house was soon finished
and then commenced the pleasant
task of making our home look like home.
Our cabin was unusually large. The low
er floor was one room, as was also the up
per, the only difference between the two
you had TO lower your head somewhat in
moving about in some parts of the upper
foor. began by having all furniture for
which ] had no immediate use stored in
those parts of the upper floor that it
wasn't convenient to stand up in. Then
I drew an imaginary line dividing the
lower floor into parlor, bedroom, DINING
room, and kitchen. A large bed, with
sliding bed underneath for the children,
around which 1 suspended curtain, was
the bedroom; piano, sofa, rocker, and
two chairs, was parlor; DINING room con-
tanned table, chairs and bureau; kitchen,
cook stove and table. / covered the floor
with rag carpet, thinking it the most suit
able. put some beds upstairs for the
accommodation of any travellers until
tied My husband, in the mean time, had
not been idle, Parties were buying lots
and building houses, saw mill was going
up, and the land was being cleared, for
the town was located right in the woods.
Those were pleasant days, for, although
pressed with business, my husband would
occasionally go hunting and fishing. I
almost always accompanied him. He had
bought me small rifle and taught me to
shoot at mark until / had been quite
expert with my rifle, SO he was not the
only one that brought down the game on
our hunting expeditions.
My first introduction to the Indians
was rather unexpected. 1t was one Sun
day. All had gone out for walk, leaving
the children and myself for the first time
alone. Four big Indians stepped to the
door, and all could think of was tAe ter
riDle things / had read about sca.ping,
etc. I turned around without WORD and
cut up some pies and gave to them, re-
memberlng that someone had said that if
you are kind to them they won't harm
you. There was smile on their faces
when they took the pie and sat down to